Citizenship & R.E. (CR)

In the CR department we aim to engage and inspire students so that they have a deeper understanding of the world around them enabling them to become knowledgeable citizens and to have greater awareness of their own local community in an ever-changing global setting.

Citizenship and religious education is taught throughout key stage 3 and 4. Lessons take a modular approach and are organised into three separate strands: religious education, citizenship education and personal, social and health education.

KS3

Religious Education

At key stage 3 students research aspects of six world religions and we also explore some basic philosophical questions. The topics covered include areas such as:

• If there is a God why is there so much suffering?
• Does religion cause more harm than good?
• What are the causes of evil?
• What do religions teach about life after death?
• Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

Citizenship Education

At key stage 3 students develops skills of enquiry, communication, participation and responsible action. The topics covered include areas such as:

• Government and politics
• Electoral systems
• Taxation and the economy
• The role of the EU, the Commonwealth and the UN
• Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law
• The Media
• Diversity and Identity

Personal, Social and Health Education

Personal, social and health education enables students to acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives. As part of a whole school approach, PSHE develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.

We make excellent use of outside agencies to help us deliver effective, informative and highly engaging lessons. Our team includes our Police Liaison Officer and our local community Health Nurses

KS4

Year 10

Students are following the Edexcel exam board for this GCSE

Unit 1- Religion and EthicsTopic 1: BeliefsTopic 2: Marriage and the familyTopic 3: Living the religious lifeTopic 4: Matters of life and death

Year 11

Unit 2- Religion and Life issues

Topic 1: Religion and Conflict- issues of peace, forgiveness and conflictTopic 2: Religion and Medicine- issues of medical ethics and the sanctity of lifeTopic 3: Religious Expression- issues of expressing one's faithTopic 4: Authority—Religion & State- issues of law and order in religion and society

1st Written Paper: 1 hour 45 minutes 50%
Four structured questions consisting of visual stimuli used as a basis for a series of paragraph and extended writing answers.

2nd Written Paper: 1 hour 45 minutes 50%
Four structured questions consisting of visual stimuli used as a basis for a series of paragraph and extended writing answers.

The GCSE is 100% exam and students will be examined at the end of year 11.

KS5

In order to achieve the full A-Level qualification, Philosophy and Ethics are amalgamated from two separate strands of study.

AS Philosophy Topics:

Ancient Greek Influences

Judaeo-Christian Influences

Traditional Arguments for the existence of God

Challenges to Religious Belief

AS Ethics Topics:

Theoretical Ethics

Absolute and relative morality

Natural Moral Law

Kantian Ethics

Utilitarianism

Religious ethics

Applied Ethics

Abortion

In vitro fertilization

Euthanasia

Genetic Engineering

War and Peace

A2 Philosophy Topics:

Religious Language

Religious Experience

Revelation

Miracles

Attributes: the nature of God

Life and Death

A2 Ethics

Meta- Ethics

Free Will and Determinism

Conscience

Virtue ethics

Business ethics

Environmental ethics

Sexual ethics

Students studying Philosophy of Religion and Religious Ethics and will be awarded an

OCR AS Level in Religious Studies. The modules and their weightings are: